# Benzoyl Peroxide Immune?



## foxy2006 (Aug 12, 2006)

I've been using BP 5% for about a year now on my whole face once a day (nightly). When I started my face would react to it and become very dry so I would moisturise. A year on BP feels like a moisturiser in itself. I don't think it's working anymore, anyone find this?

Lee.


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## ivette (Aug 12, 2006)

hmmmmmm. i'm not sure. maybe u should see a dermatologist

i've been using perscription bp (10%) gel for a year now, maybe more and i can honestly say that that has never happened to me. in addition to bp i also use another presciption

med called clindemycin. its kind of odd that u wouldn't need a moisturizer because bp

is pretty drying to begin with( even at a lower strength than what u r using)

i think you should see a derm. something else might be going on that you are not aware of.


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## Jennifer (Aug 12, 2006)

yes! mary kay's treatment (5%, i believe) was working really great for me and then stopped all of a sudden. differin, the same. i'm pretty sure differin's BP, right? anyway, anything else i've used that was BP, stopped. it sucks!


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## Hi Im Mandy (Aug 12, 2006)

Hmm, I have actually read up many times that your skin can not become immune to BP because all it is is producing oxygen, and the bacteria in your pores can not survive that. I could be completely wrong though, but thats just what I have read up.


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## foxy2006 (Aug 12, 2006)

Hey I think you're right Mandy, I posted the same question on another skin care forum and got back many comments that were the same as yours. Thnx. Lee.


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## Aquilah (Aug 14, 2006)

No idea, but it seems like you figured it out! Best of luck sweetie!


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## girl_geek (Aug 15, 2006)

I don't know if you can become immune to it, but I know that it's common for your skin to react to the BP when you first start using it and become dry (perhaps even too dry and flaky or red), then once it becomes accustomed to the BP it stops being so dry -- but the BP should continue to clear up your acne blemishes.

Also, too much BP can over-dry your skin, and that makes your skin produce even _more_ oil in an attempt to compensate. Are you using any moisturizers? If you're only using BP and other drying products, you might be making your skin oilier! Try switching to a 2.5% BP solution (like Neutrogenia On-The-Spot) -- 2.5% is just as effective as the 10% solutions but is much less drying! Also, try using a moisturizer -- make sure it's noncomedogenic (won't clog pores), and you can also try a shine-free or oil-control moisturizer. I personally like CO Bigelow Extra-Light Face Lotion -- it's actually _the_ only product I've tried that's even made a dent in the amount of oil my face produces! But I know there are several girls on this site that said their oily skin improved when they reduced the number of products they were using or switched to less drying products...


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## foxy2006 (Aug 15, 2006)

Hey thanks for the reply girl_geek! I'm sure you aint a geek. Anyway my BP is 5% and my skin has become accustomed to it as you said but I only use it at night. In the day I use Neutrogena's Pore Refining Moisturiser which works great for me. I've tried all those oil/shine reducing moisturisers and they tend to make me break out so I'm sticking with this one. On a night out I use Simple's Rich Moisturiser because it makes my skin look even and enhances my tan..or fake tan in most cases lol. Thanks.


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## girl_geek (Aug 16, 2006)

No problem!

And yes I am a geek, I studied Computer Science in school and now I'm a software engineer (computer programmer)! BUT I am a girly geek since I also like makeup and girly things




I am proud to be a geek!


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## SwtValina (Aug 16, 2006)

Actually, you can build up a tolerance to it just like any oral medication. It means you need more of the product to do the job. Maybe you can bump up to 10%. You have more or less become resistant that med. On the positive side, if you switch to something else (maybe something with salicylic acid), and then switch back in a few months, you will once again restore the effects. (I'm only a second year med student so I would double check with your derm but I believe that's what I learned in pharmacology class)


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## foxy2006 (Aug 16, 2006)

Hiya, thanks for your post! In most cases I would say you're right but after reading articles all over the internet I've found out that Benzoyl Peroxide works different and simply oxidises the skin to kill of the P. Acnes so one can't become immune. Though thanks for the info because what you said is right for many other skin products. Hope the studies go well!


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## SwtValina (Aug 17, 2006)

Oh, maybe I should have clarified. You are correct in a way but benzoyl peroxide actually *reduces *the probability of becoming resistant but it is not entirely possible to keep this full effect if not used with another antibiotic. P.acnes is a strain of bacteria and bacteria has a way of reprodcuing itself in undesireable environments which is how resistance occurs. So if you use it evry night, the bacteria actually finds a way to "outwit" the medication. I hope that makes sense, Here's an article:

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache...s&amp;ct=clnk&amp;cd=3


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## Flowerinthewind (Aug 17, 2006)

It is impossible to become immune to bp.Maybe you are applying it too rough?


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